Blue Engine Records

Few captured the sleek, swinging sophistication of jazz better than pianist, composer, and bandleader John Lewis, who had a long, deep, personal relationship with Jazz at Lincoln Center. “He used to always call our program a miracle,” says Wynton Marsalis. “He used to always say, ‘Keep that miracle going.’”

In 2008, Wynton Marsalis was commissioned to produce a piece of music honoring the 200th Anniversary of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church. The resulting sacred celebration included the full Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra as well as a 70 piece gospel choir. In 2013, Damian Speed and his Chorale Le Chateau toured the country with Marsalis and the LCO, playing the piece to mesmerize audiences. This music has finally been released on Blue Engine Records, and I will be featuring assorted cuts on Serenade To The City on Jazz 91.9 WCLK, Monday through Friday from 10:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.